Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “Far Away – Short Version” by José González
‘Far Away’ is a melancholy and longing ballad sung by singer-songwriter José González. It paints a picture of a relationship that’s come to an end, and the heartache that it causes. Through the lyrics, we can sense the narrator’s sorrow and grief as he longs for the time when his partner was still with him.
The song starts off with the narrator reminiscing on days past, days that have now been reduced to “just a memory” and “just a dream”. We can imagine the narrator feeling himself slowly slipping into nostalgia as he struggles to move on from the relationship. He wishes to bring back these forgotten moments and to make them into something real, but he’s aware of the impossibility of this. He can’t “undo time and rewind”.
The chorus speaks of how quickly love can fade in its wake: “Oh how quickly we’re far away/Happiness just won’t stay”. His partner is now gone, and all that remains of the relationship are his own memories. He finds solace in yearning for her, trying to hold on to the past, but finally realizes that there’s no going back and that she is now lost to a world “distant and grey”.
The song expresses the pain of heartbreak, while at the same time, offering a message of hope. Even though the narrator has lost his lover, he is still able to find comfort and solace within himself and his own memories. These feelings are far away but still reach out and touch him.
The listener can feel the narrator’s sorrow, as he grapples with the pain of losing somebody dear. He is learning to find acceptance with the situation, finding strength within himself, and ultimately understanding that life can still be found after a heartbreaking loss.